Reconfiguring Islamic Authority in Indonesia: The Role of Ulama and Digital Media in Religious Practices
Abstract
The digital revolution has profoundly reshaped the landscape of religious authority and practice in the Muslim world, challenging traditional clerical hierarchies. In Indonesia, the authority of the ulama, long central to the dissemination of Islamic knowledge, now coexists with a vibrant and often unregulated digital sphere. This study aimed to investigate how digital media is reconfiguring traditional Islamic authority and influencing the religious practices of Indonesian Muslims. The primary objective was to analyze the strategies employed by both traditional ulama and new digital religious figures in this evolving media ecosystem. A qualitative methodology was employed, combining digital ethnography of popular religious social media platforms with in-depth, semi-structured interviews with established ulama and emergent "cyber-preachers." The results reveal a significant fragmentation and democratization of religious authority. New media figures are leveraging platforms like YouTube and Instagram to bypass traditional institutions, offering direct religious guidance to a mass audience. In response, many traditional ulama are adapting by creating their own digital presence, yet often struggle to match the popular appeal of these new influencers. This study concludes that digital media is fostering a more contested, personalized, and networked religious landscape in Indonesia. This reconfiguration is not replacing the traditional ulama but is forcing them into a new, competitive role, fundamentally altering how religious authority is constructed, consumed, and maintained in the digital age.
Full text article
References
Abidin, A., & Utami, P. (2020). THE REGULATION OF ZAKAT DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IN CREATING COMMUNITY WELFARE IMPACT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues, 23(5), 1–9. Scopus.
Adnan, A., Zakariyah, H., Rahik, S., & Mazed, A. (2023). Enhancing Socio-Economic Potential of Zakat Through Donation-Based Crowdfunding Model in Bangladesh. Dalam Alareeni B., N. C. C. Middle East Technical University KKTC, via Mersin 10 ,. Güzelyurt, & Hamdan A. (Ed.), Lect. Notes Networks Syst. (Vol. 488, hlm. 75–95). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08090-6_4
Alam, A., Ratnasari, R. T., Habibi, B., & Athief, F. H. N. (2022). A sharia economic collaboration model and its positive impact on developing of poor villages: A study in Indonesia. Public and Municipal Finance, 11(1), 101–112. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.21511/pmf.11(1).2022.09
Ali, K. M., Hassan, M. K., & Ali, A. E. E. S. (2019). Introduction. Dalam Revitalization of Waqf for Socio-Economic Development, Volume I (Vol. 1, hlm. 3–13). Springer International Publishing; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18445-2_1
Aswari, A. (2023). Voluntary System: The Legal Problems of Zakat Management For The Fulfillment of Socio-Economic Justice. Yuridika, 38(3), 685–704. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.20473/ydk.v38i3.43885
Demi?R, A. (2017). Form changes on the example of islamic economic solidarity, from sadaqa to zakÂt. Turk Kulturu ve Haci Bektas Veli - Arastirma Dergisi, 84, 93–115. Scopus.
Dirie, K. A., Alam, M. M., & Maamor, S. (2024). Islamic social finance for achieving sustainable development goals: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 40(4), 676–698. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-12-2022-0317
Hakim, B. R., & Nafi, M. (2024). REACTUALIZATION OF MASLAHAT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PRINCIPLES IN THE CONTEXTUALIZATION OF FIQH ZAKAT. Syariah: Jurnal Hukum Dan Pemikiran, 24(1), 102–118. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.18592/sjhp.v24i1.12909
Hariyanto, E., Taufiq, M., Abidin, Z., & Ulum, M. (2020). Effectiveness of the economic system to Zakat and Waqf for empowerment of the Ummah in Indonesia. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 29(6), 1910–1916. Scopus.
Hussain, A., Khattak, S. W., Wahid, F., Farid, A., & Fazal, R. (2012). Islamic philosophical mobilizers for economic development. European Journal of Social Sciences, 29(3), 421–424. Scopus.
Jahar, A. S. (2015). Marketing Islam through Zakat Institutions in Indonesia. Studia Islamika, 22(3), 405–442. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.15408/sdi.v22i3.2353
Kailani, N., & Slama, M. (2020). Accelerating Islamic charities in Indonesia: Zakat, sedekah and the immediacy of social media. South East Asia Research, 28(1), 70–86. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/0967828X.2019.1691939
Khan, F., & Haneef, M. A. (2022). RELIGIOUS RESPONSES TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: AN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE. Journal of Islamic Monetary Economics and Finance, 8(2), 161–179. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.21098/jimf.v8i2.1453
Mansyur, Z., & Mas’ud, R. (2024). Worldview of Kiyai Sasak in the Practice of Individual Zakat Model in Lombok Indonesia. Journal of Economic Cooperation and Development, 45(1), 113–134. Scopus.
Muneer, F., & Khan, F. (2019). QARD-AL-HASSAN AS A TOOL FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION: A CASE STUDY OF THE FAEL KHAIR WAQF PROGRAM IN BANGLADESH. Journal of Islamic Monetary Economics and Finance, 5(4), 829–848. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.21098/jimf.v5i4.1100
Retsikas, K. (2014). RECONCEPTUALISING ZAKAT IN INDONESIA: Worship, philanthropy and rights. Indonesia and the Malay World, 42(124), 337–357. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639811.2014.951519
Shaukat, M., Shafique, B., & Madbouly, A. (2024). Islamic Framework for Behavioral and Socio-Economic Justice. Dalam Islamic Finance in the Modern Era: Digitalization, FinTech and Soc. Finance (hlm. 52–78). Taylor and Francis; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003366751-5
Subhan, M. (2018). A Mathematical Model of Economic Population Dynamics in a Country That Has Optimal Zakat Management. Dalam Ramli null, Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Universitas Negeri Padang Air Tawar, Padang, Yulkifli null, Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Universitas Negeri Padang Air Tawar, Padang, Festiyed null, Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Universitas Negeri Padang Air Tawar, Padang, Azhar M., Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Universitas Negeri Padang Air Tawar, Padang, Sumarmin R., Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Universitas Negeri Padang Air Tawar, Padang, Alizar null, Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Universitas Negeri Padang Air Tawar, Padang, Putri D.H., Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Universitas Negeri Padang Air Tawar, Padang, Putra A., & Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Universitas Negeri Padang Air Tawar, Padang (Ed.), IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. (Vol. 335, Nomor 1). Institute of Physics Publishing; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/335/1/012051
Usman, A. H., Ismail, A. Z., Soroni, M. K., & Wazir, R. (2015). Rise and fall of development: How does hadith views on economic system? Asian Social Science, 11(27), 168–174. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v11n27p168
Wahab, N. A., & Rahim Abdul Rahman, A. (2011). A framework to analyse the efficiency and governance of zakat institutions. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 2(1), 43–62. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1108/17590811111129508
Wahab, N. A., & Rahman, A. R. A. (2013). Determinants of efficiency of zakat institutions in Malaysia: A non-parametric approach. Asian Journal of Business and Accounting, 6(2), 33–64. Scopus.
Warikoo, K. (2010). Islamist extremism in Kashmir. Dalam Religion and Security in South and Central Asia (hlm. 67–82). Taylor and Francis; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203840238-12
Wilson, R. (2014). Economics and morality from an Islamic perspective. Dalam Handb. On Islam and Economic Life (hlm. 268–282). Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781783479825.00022
